


The Reality of It All

by brckendreams



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: Deep Conversations, Implied/Referenced Death of a Parent, Other, Profanity, Sad Ending, oof this is sad, this is just something I think about daily, we're going through some real talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:42:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28586661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brckendreams/pseuds/brckendreams
Summary: Later that night, after the girls’ excitement dies down after seeing the plane, seeing their way out, two of them start to have the real conversation of what will happen to them when they leave the purgatory they’ve been calling home for the last sixteen days.
Relationships: Dot Campbell/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	The Reality of It All

**Author's Note:**

> This will probably be terrible, like I'm terrible at these types of things. But it's fine. Also, this is me posting my first fic on here because I'm a self cautious human being :)
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy the fic! I'd love some feedback!
> 
> \- KK

The fire was the only form of light and heat as each of the girls sat around it, some a little closer than others. Each of the eight girls seemed to be in their own mind that night as they still waited for that plane to rescue them from the island. Most were just settling down by the fire as they came down from the high they were on after eating those gummy bear edibles. Others, like Shelby and Toni, were sitting away from the fire, the same thoughts invading their minds.

Everyone had the same thoughts though. What was going to happen to them once they left the island? How were they going to go back to their past lives after this? Were they ever going to see each other again? Each of them had someone to go back to their hometowns with, but were every single one of them going to see each other, together, again?

No one wanted to disturb the blonde, who had been sitting on one of the large rocks, the same bottle of vodka in her hands. The bottle was practically empty at that point, as well as Shelby’s enthusiasm towards wanting to go back home. No one wanted to disturb her, afraid that if they did, something was bound to happen. She hadn’t been the same and no one knew why, except for one.

As for Toni, however, Dot had been observing the basketball player, wondering where the girl’s mind was. Dot knew everyone had that question of what was to come after they were rescued in their minds and knew that most were excited to be getting off the island. However, Toni was one of the ones that didn’t seem all too happy to return home. That’s when Dot thought it best to ask what was bothering Toni, because the girl was never this quiet.

Dot got up from where she was sitting next to Fatin and Leah before walking over towards Toni. Once Dot reached the withdrawn girl, she didn’t instantly sit down. No, she waited as Toni acknowledged her presence, looking up towards the Texan, to finally ask if she could sit with her. Dot knew that people who withdrew from others could get hostile if provoked because she;s seen it way too many times on Survivor when she watched it with her dad.

“Mind if I sit with you?” Dot asked the brunette sitting down in the sand.

Toni nodded, one of her arms extending to show that she was allowing Dot to sit next to her. “Be my guest,” was all Toni muttered out as she watched Dot sit down next to her.

They both looked out at the waves that gingerly brushed the sand that surrounded the edge of the island, neither of them saying a word at first. However, Toni’s thoughts about going home started to invade her mind again, needing to be said to leave the girl alone. Dot knew this but she didn’t want to ask until the girl sitting next to her was comfortable with wanting to express her own thoughts to Dot.

That’s when Toni finally said what was on her mind, instantly catching Dot’s attention.

“Do you think it’s weird to not be as happy as we should be to finally be rescued? Because I’m honestly not feeling that enthusiastic about it,” Toni said truthfully, not yet looking towards the girl sitting next to her.

Dot thought about it and she had thought the same. She wasn’t as enthusiastic as, for example, Martha about getting to go back home, but she was happy to finally leave the island. It’s just that question of what she was going to do when she did get back home. She didn’t really have a home to go back to after her dad had passed away.

Dot shook her head, “it’s not weird at all really…unless you were wanted by the FBI for some shit. Then, yeah, not leaving would be better if that was the case.”

Toni chuckled at the girl’s words, knowing Dot was trying to lighten the mood. Even just a little bit. That’s when Toni finally shifted her head to look at the Texan, a smile tugging at her lips at the joke. Dot’s own smile could be seen as the two laughed at the small joke even further.

Their laughs subsided as Toni’s smile disappeared again as those same thoughts came rushing back. “Nah…more like not having something to go back to. I mean, yeah, I have Marty but it’s not like I have parents that have been looking for me…missing me. I only know one of mine and I know she doesn’t give a crap if I’m dead or not,” Toni confessed.

Dot was silent, not fully knowing about Toni’s situation back home. She didn’t normally talk to the girl, only having a couple conversations with each other that weren’t ever this deep. But, each girl never really did deep conversations, they didn’t really know how to. But, the longer they were on the island, the more comfortable they all got with each other.

Toni just shook her head, “who am I kidding, you probably can’t even relate.”

That’s when Dot finally spoke up, knowing that the information she would give the Shalifoe girl would help her realize that she isn’t alone. “No, no. I do get what you’re saying Toni. I lost my dad a few months ago.”

This caught Toni’s attention, not knowing that the Texan lost her dad just a few months prior to this little retreat. Dot could see that Toni’s facial expression held remorse and sorrow for the girl and that was probably the only time Toni ever showed emotions like that towards anyone that wasn’t Martha. As for Dot, she knew that she needed to share her story about her dad not just for Toni’s sake, but for her’s. Shelby may have figured it out but they never really talked about it, and Dot wasn’t too into talking about her dad with someone who didn’t understand.

But Toni understood. And the truth behind it all was that the two were alike in ways that the others wouldn’t understand. They’re alone, with no one to go back to after the island.

Dot continued once Toni’s head lifted towards the girl, “yeah, he was all I had and I lost him. The only reason I’m here was because he wanted me to go on this trip as his last dying wish. I can never blame him for what happened to us because he couldn’t predict the future but I do wish he was still alive. Maybe if he was, I wouldn’t be stuck here or I could at least go back home to him. Instead, I’ll probably be running away from the foster care system until I turn eighteen. At least this place gave me more time to not think about that.”

Toni chuckled, knowing that feeling all too well. Running from foster homes, sleeping under the stars to not have to deal with them. Everything. Foster care wasn’t fun, but neither was her mother before that.

“Tell me about it. Foster homes are not something you want to experience. They make your life a living hell. The only good thing that could have come out of this place was time. Time away from all the expectations and the people that are out there, probably waiting to piss on you when you get back,” Toni exclaimed to Dot, the Texan quietly listening to the girl as she told her of her experience.

Dot scoffed as she looked back at the waves, forever swaying in front of them. Mocking the two as if telling them that life goes on, no matter what happens. That maybe them being deserted on an island was forthcoming and that, out there, life was still going one. Neither of them mattering to anyone on the other side of the ocean.

“We’re fucked either way, aren’t we?” Dot asked aloud to no one in particular.

Toni’s fingers grazed the sand below her, with a sad shrug, “yeah. With lives like ours, we were fucked from the start.”


End file.
